Little Plum

A good place to eat on special occasions, as it’s a bit too pricy to eat at regularly. To be fair, their offerings are good overall. The kalbi bao were outstanding and their cocktails are creative and flavorful. The menchikatsu was fried too long and hard to cut/bite into, but the gravy was flavorful and the onsen egg was cooked perfectly. The mochi churros were cooked unevenly (some were mushy, almost wet) but the flavor was good. Service is on the slower side. The room is echoey and gets really loud when it’s full, so don’t expect to be able to hold a conversation if dining with a group on one of the bigger tables.

Little Plum is a bulls eye. I prefer restaurants where you eat with your eyes & dishes are shared family style. If you like onolicious food w/ reasonably sized portions, priced @ FMV, this will drive an arrow into your heart n tummy w/o taking a hit on your wallet.

Great restaurant with excellent service. We had two dishes, both amazing... the tomatoes we had (no photo) were one of the best sides/appetizer we have ever had! Awesome, thanks!

We had the most joyful, delicious weekday lunch at Little Plum today and I’m still recounting the experience. Right there in middle of Manoa Marketplace (the perfect pairing with our fresh baked treats from Brug Bakery next door), this place completely exceeded every expectation. The setting is beautiful — warm modern Japanese design with wood beams, kimono accents, and that lively open kitchen. It feels special and stylish but still relaxed and welcoming, exactly the kind of spot you want to linger in. The food was phenomenal. We shared the mushroom jook, crispy pork belly, daikon & pohole salad, miso soup, and a side of onsen egg, and every single dish was executed with care and flavor. The mushroom jook was silky, deeply savory, and the ultimate comfort in a bowl. The crispy pork belly (the chef's signature recipe) had that perfect shatteringly crisp skin giving way to rich, tender meat — absolutely addictive. The daikon & pohole salad was bright, refreshing, and such a lovely nod to local ingredients. The miso soup was clean and soul-warming, and that silky onsen egg on the side added the most luxurious, creamy richness to everything it touched. Everything worked together beautifully — comforting yet vibrant, rich yet balanced. The attention to detail in both flavor and presentation is truly impressive. Service was warm, attentive, and seamless. We left completely happy, satisfied, and already talking about when we can come back (dinner next time so we can explore even more of the menu!). Little Plum has instantly become one of our favorite spots in Manoa. If you’re looking for creative, beautifully cooked Asian fusion in a gorgeous setting without ever leaving the valley, this is it. A true neighborhood treasure!

This place was really loud/noisy, so it’s probably not a good choice for your first date. We did the family style and ordered all the entries from the menu, except for the tempura. The lamb chops were the best out of them, tender and just right for medium, but a bit sweet (wasn’t expecting that). The ribeye skewers were decent, but not all that good. The pork belly was fried deeply, and I would pass on it even though I’m a big fan of fried pork fat as in Lechon Kawali. The eggplant was fine. The fish of the day was Mahi Mahi that was tender and tasted pretty good. Finally, the churros were okay as well. The service staff was friendly but was very busy and had to wait for my hot water.

Couldn’t say more and would give it 10 stars for excellent service, amazing food, and overall dining experience. We know staffing is tough on this island recently but somehow Little Plum did a great job from welcoming us into the restaurant, attending to us throughout the meal, and maintaining a smile even on one of the busiest days— Valentine’s Day! Food was flavorful and unique and really tasted fresh! We got a lot and had some leftovers, but worth the drive into Manoa! We got eggplants, tomatoes, daikon, dick fried rice, corn, shiso pasta.. and even though we were full, I wanted the matcha roll cake! 🍰 yum! Thanks for awesome dining experience!

Little Plum restaurant at the Manoa Marketplace. Opened just about a year and a half ago. Japanese Fusion Cuisine. Wonderful place absolutely amazing food and great service. It starts at the Top the owner takes great pride and care for his staff and restaurant. And it shows, his staff is genuinely happy and they take great pride in their work and the food they serve. They have an awesome attention to detail as you can see in the attached photos. We tried a variety of dishes. The Duck Fried Rice, Menchi Katsu Bowl, Ribeye Shewers, Miso Eggplant, Pineapple and Orange Pudding, and the Mochi Churos. All were outstanding and highly recommended. The Duck Fried Rice is served with a perfectly prepared Duck Breast and accompanied with Namasu (pickle cucumber). The Menchi Katsu is their take on Loco Moco. A breaded and deep fried Hamburger patty nestled on a bed of white rice accompanied with an amazing Mushroom gravy and topped off with an Onsen egg. Miso eggplant was delicious. Delicately deep fried and coated with a Togarashi Sesame Vinaigrette topped with Charred Leaks. Ribeye skewers were marinated in Gochijan and grilled to perfection accompanied with a Napa Kimchi relish. For dessert we had the Pineapple Orange pudding that was topped with Haupia and Toasted Coconut and the Mochi Churos tossed with Kinako and accompanied with anglaise. A delightfully light and delicious treat to finish our meal.

After enjoying Lady Elaine and discovering that these Little Plum is related, we had to visit this place for dinner too. We had eaten quite a bit for lunch so we opted for a cocktail and 3 dishes (salad, protein, veggie). The dishes here were very good. I preferred the styling and sauces here at Little Plum. Our server Maya? was very sweet and we took her up on her suggestion on the miso eggplant. (yum!) Their mixologist rocks! Also the kitchen is open to the dining area and the counter is low so you can see everything going on there. (3 young chefs collaborating on dishes) Their vent hoods are clean and must be strong because there were no oil fumes in the dining area.

First time here and I really enjoyed it! The vibe is cozy, intimate, and perfect for date night or catching up with friends. I wish I caught my server’s name because she was amazing; super kind, patient, and so careful with my long list of food intolerances. She went above and beyond to make sure everything I ordered was safe and still delicious. I got the tempura (made with mochiko flour - gluten free? yes please!) and it came with soup, rice, and pickled veggies. I also tried the ahi tuna, and chicken jook which was fresh and perfectly cooked and so delicious! My wish the food was seasoned just a tiny bit more, but everything was still so good! My friend got the menchi katsu and bao buns and loved them! If you go, please try the Wild Orange purple dragon cocktail AND their specialty old fashion. 🥃 I’m not exaggerating when I say it will change your life. Can’t wait to go back to try more of the menu!

We decided to try little plum based on recommendations from our family. As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by friendly staff and a warm open atmosphere. The dining area is adjacent to the open kitchen which displays a confident, welcoming vibe. The food was delivered promptly, and the presentation was nothing short of phenomenal. The flavors and textures were a delight, ringing true with every dish we ordered. We normally don't eat dessert, but decided to give it a try and were not disappointed. Both options were fantastic, refreshing without being heavy. We also really appreciate that they dedicated 100% of their dessert sales to their culinary team. Thank you Little Plum, we definitely will be back to try the other dishes!